Christmas Gift Idea: Hop Passport for the Craft Beer Lover

$30 Gets You Buy One Get Ones at over 75 breweries in 2019 when you purchase yours!

My wife Katie and I met Matt last year at Spilled Grain Brewhouse in Annandale. Matt, we learned, was the founder and owner of Hop Passport -- a brand and company that sold "beer passports" that offered BOGO's (buy one get one free) at over 45 breweries around Minnesota. He also had passports for other states around the country including Tennessee and Colorado and had plans to expand. Being the craft beer bloggers and enthusiasts that we are, we were supportive of the idea and expressed interest in partnering.

For the past year, then, we've been brand ambassadors for Hop Passport. Not only have we gotten free beer at various breweries, we've also gotten to travel to places we probably wouldn't have otherwise. We traveled all the way up to Grand Marais in 2018 and planned day trips to small towns we wouldn't have otherwise like Dundas and Perham. We've made new friends and contacts along the way, drank great beer and -- most importantly -- spent quality time together doing something we love and enjoy. We didn't make it to all 46 breweries in the 2018 passport, but that didn't stop us from trying!

With the new year just around the corner, we're already looking forward to the new and improved 2019 Hop Passport! Matt's expanded his brand to reach 13 states including Wisconsin, New York, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and -- of course -- Minnesota. With 68 local breweries and an additional 10 out-of-state, the $30 Minnesota Hop Passport offers over $450 worth of free beer!

Believe it or not, I'm not getting paid to say this! We're just genuinely fans of the Hop Passport. With the holidays upon us, I think it would really make for a great gift for yourself or the craft beer enthusiast in your life. Some of the Central Minnesota breweries included in the Minnesota Hop Passport for 2019 include Aegir Brewing in Elk River, Beaver Island in St. Cloud, Copper Trail in Alexandria, Foxhole Brewing in Willmar, Goatridge in New London, Lupulin in Big Lake, Spilled Grain in Annandale, and Third Street in Cold Spring, so you could easily put it to good use either way.

In any case, you can order a 2019 Hop Passport or two or 10 here. Don't forget to drink responsibly, and maybe I'll see you around!